HELP!!! Hen Lethargic with respitory issues and dark comb

[Morningside Manor]

Age: Around Year and 6 Months
Breed:Rhode Island Red
Sex:Female

She earlier this month was showing signs of respitory issues such as a small cough or sneeze. We thought it was just dirt. This past Tuesday those signs continued so we went ahead and decided to begin giving her Tetracyclin as a precaution. We are now a week from initiating the Tetracyclin and she may show some small improvement when it comes to the cough/sneeze/gurgling but she is now very lethargic (not wanting to leave the coop and sitting still alot). She doesnt seem to be eating and food but will get excited and will eat treats. She shows NO signs of swelling around her face but her comb and wattle are dark red. We noticed this color change because her sister of the same breed and age has a normal bright red comb/wattle.

She earlier this month had time outside the coop to free range and in the coop is recieving layer pellets.

Her droppings appear to be watery occasionaly greenish white

She doesnt seem to be as bad with the respitory issues of the gurgling as she was last week but still occasionaly with sneeze and appears to have laboured breathing when sitting.

Her feathers appear to be drooping and as mentioned above her come and wattle are dark red. As far as her weight she seems to be larger than her sister and doesnt appear to have lost any weight.

She again is on tetracyclin now for a week and yesterday i put some Vetrx on her nostrils.

Attached is a picture taken of her yesterday. You can see her ruffled feathers and darker comb and wattle.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm thinking it is likely more viral than bacterial and will simply have to run its course, which often takes about 2 weeks. The Tetracycline may be warding off the secondary bacterial infection that generally comes with viral respiratory, but it won't touch the viral infection.

I think the dark comb is simply from lack of oxygen.

If she were my bird, I'd continue with the VetRx nightly to open up her sinuses. Also I'd try adding some garlic in mash (so it smells "Italian") and some Elderberry tincture in her water. (It is a good anti-viral and bronchial aid).

Some yogurt also to help her gut keep good flora since the gut is a bird's strongest part of the immune system.

Hopefully after another week of TLC and care, she'll fully recover.

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is she laying eggs, what are they like (normal, soft shell, etc.)?
Did she ever have discharge from the eyes or mucous from the nostrils?
Is her crop emptying overnight?
Photos of the poop and a video of what she sounds like may be helpful.

 

[Morningside Manor]

She has not laid eggs since last fall when she molted.

She has never from what I've seen shown discharge from the eyes or nose.

Her crop was empty last night.

I also forgot to mention middle part of June she did have Fowl Pox. Showed bumps on comb.. we let it run its course and she seemed normal up until earlier this month.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

There are two kinds of fowl pox, wet and dry.

Both are viral and contagious.

Since you state she recently had fowl pox, it sounds like it has moved to her trachea (wet kind).

Keeping nutrition in liquid form while it runs its course is the general recommendation as well as antibiotics for the secondary bacterial, which you are doing.

LofMc
https://poultrykeeper.com/external-problems/fowl-pox/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She has not laid eggs since last fall when she molted.

Just to rule out that she may have Pox or Canker - do you see any lesions inside the beak? Any nasty smelling breath?

Take a feel of her abdomen - does it feel hard, soft, bloated, fluid filled?
Can you take a fecal sample for testing of worms and cocci overload?

Since she has not laid eggs since last fall - I assume she never resumed laying at all after molting.
It's possible she may have an internal laying/reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis, cancer, tumors or Ascites. A vet can xray the abdomen to see if there are any masses as well.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Wyorp Rock makes excellent recommendations.

Something likely has been going on with this gal for some time since she never started to lay again after molting.
LofMc

 

[Morningside Manor]

Out getting more tetracyclin for the posible secondary bacterial. When I get home I'll check her abdomen and look into her beak for lesions. Thank yall so much for your guidance and help. It can be so crazy trying to narrow down exactly what is affecting the hens since so many things have similar conditions.

Since yall might have insight into this..would you be concerned in anyway with Avian Flu. Been reading up on all these chickens illnesses and that one just keep sticking out and scaring me. Although seems she would already be dead or have more severe symptoms with that....
Thanks again and I'll report back with what i find when i Examen her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post some photos or a video of her?

 

[Morningside Manor]

So back from the feed store. They no longer sale tetracycline and I'm out after one more dose so I got tylan 50.

I felt her abdominal area and it felt pretty hard and big compared to other hens.

I can't tell if she has any sores in her mouth as she wouldn't let me see.

Here is a video link. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9Oe2NDUuOAyUnRnSUQxWUI2UUk